Limitless
by gingerline
Summary: Kirito was starting to think that Asuna didn't understand what it meant, for him to be known as a beta-tester. Either that or the girl was telling the truth when she said she'd rather die than be trapped in SAO for years... Because if the girl followed Kirito, that was a distinct possibility. / kirisuna
1. Chapter 1

**Limitless**

 **Chapter 1:**

* * *

In the beta, the staircases connecting the floors were short and uninteresting; a few minutes of hard, bare steps and stone-gray walls. This time, however - as Kirito plodded up the _n_ th flight of stairs from the first floor to the second - the climb seemed unending.

What used to be nondescript stone on both sides was now nothing but open, indefinite darkness. The stairs themselves - translucent black, visible by their violet glow - seemed suspended in air, spiraling to infinity upwards in a narrow helix. It had the eerie effect of being cut off from everything else in the game, which was probably the creator's intention.

Kirito thought it was a nice touch; he certainly felt detached from the world as he stepped higher and higher, away from the gilded gate of the boss room - where the fateful battle with «Illfang the Kobold Lord» had taken place.

The door to the final room of the first level was ajar, though nothing came from the opening but the lighting, spilling over into the pitch-black of the interim floor. Kirito could hear the jeering, angry chaos of the surviving players, even a ways up, the noise echoing off the invisible walls and ringing in his ears.

Kirito winced at the sound, knowing that a good part of that fury was directed towards him, but he couldn't find it in him to regret it. At the moment, he couldn't find it in himself to feel much of anything.

There was only the game now.

He continued to climb the stairs, focusing on his destination miles above. The ruckus below continued; the black steps were swallowed beneath his boots.

After a while, time seemed to stretch on, the repetitiveness of the motions - left foot, right, left, right, again - taking it's toll on Kirito's mind. Was that Kayaba's intention as well? To make the journey from one floor to another feel grueling and impossible, until making it to the top didn't feel worth it anymore?

Kirito shook his head of the thought, but as he made to take another step forward, something held him back.

It wasn't anything blocking him, or the way weariness clung to his form. It took Kirito a moment himself to realize that it was the presence of someone behind him, not far away, and the soft _click-click_ of heels on the ethereal flooring. Without his own footsteps to drown them out, the sound was clearer, more pronounced.

Kirito turned on his heels, but even before he caught the flash of auburn locks and scarlet tunic, he suspected it was her.

Asuna.

"Wait! Please, wait! There's something I-" the girl's familiar voice began to call out as she came around the curve of the stairway, only to find Kirito already waiting for her, leaning against the invisible barrier. "Oh. There was, um, something I wanted to ask you."

Asuna was panting and slightly flushed, as if she had run a marathon before catching up with him. For a moment, he thought she was falling into the «fatigued» condition - as seemed to be her habit of late - but then she straightened, wiping stray hairs from her face.

"When we were fighting the boss, you called me by my name, didn't you?"

 _Is that all this is about?_

He rubbed the back of his neck, a bit sheepish. "Sorry, I didn't mean to be rude. Did I pronounce it wrong?"

Asuna shot him a puzzled look. "No, it's not that. It's just... I never told you my name. How did you know?"

His mind went blank for a moment, before the beta-tester remembered a conversation he'd had with her once before.

"If you look around here," Kirito explained as he raised his right hand, gesturing to the space above his shoulder, "there should be another HP gauge under yours. There's something written next to it, right?"

"Eh?" The girl's eyes clumsily averted to the left, as if searching for her health bar. "Ki… ri… to. Kirito? Is that your name?"

"Yeah."

Realization dawned on her, embarrassment and amazement sweeping across her face. As reserved as the girl had seemed at first, she was actually quite expressive.

A small smile; a self-depreciating laugh. "I'm so dumb. Sorry for bothering you like this - it was here this whole time and I never even knew!"

"It's okay."

And it was. Kirito found it was... nice, to see that at least one person didn't revile him. "A word of advice?"

Asuna tilted her head to the side, indicating she was listening. That was one thing Kirito appreciated about Asuna, in the brief time he'd known her: she listened. Even if she disagreed and decided to argue afterwards, she listened.

He would... well, he would miss that.

"You can be a strong player on your own. But if one day someone you trust invites you to join a guild, don't turn them down. There are limits to what a solo player can do."

"But you're solo."

And there was that disagree-ability. Kirito's smile was wan as he turned with a wave of farewell, because yes, he was - for better or for worse.

The last thing he saw before he fully confronted the stairs was her expression; conflicted, with a slight downturn to her lips, as if she wasn't sure about his answer - wasn't sure whether to argue the point or to let it go.

It was several moments before Kirito realized it; that the limbo between floors was quiet all for the distinctive _clack_ of Kirito's boots against the steps, that Asuna's feet were silent, because she hadn't moved - hadn't followed him or turned back - and before he could wonder over it himself -

"Wait!"

Against every bone in his body, which told him to ignore her, because they were done - how many inane questions could she ask him before it was no longer endearing? - Kirito waited.

"What are you going to do now, um... K-Kirito?"

When he glanced at her from the corner of his eye, Kirito saw she looked flustered - a mixture of uncertainty and concern set in her lips.

He indulged her with a sigh. "Level up, keep on moving... Try to stay alive. Same as everyone else."

"On your own?" Asuna pressed, a tad dubiously. "Solo?"

"For now, yeah. Probably for a while, what with..." Kirito gestured toward the base of the staircase; the faint sound of voices arguing could be heard from the corridor. "You know."

Mobs. Torches. Pitchforks... The works.

"And you're okay with that?" Kirito found himself taken aback the sudden seriousness in her tone. "I mean... think about it. There were tons of us back there... If you go on by yourself, anything could happen..."

 _I thought you said nothing mattered, since we're all going to die anyway?_

Asuna's lips were pursed.

"Thanks for the concern, but it's okay," Kirito replied, more confidently than he felt. "I know what I'm doing."

He turned and moved to bid her goodbye once more when he was reminded of something; Kirito had forgotten, in the midst of the chaos, that he technically wasn't solo at the moment...

Kirito raised his right hand and then pulled in a downwards motion, the main menu he was already so accustomed to flashing with a ping before his eyes.

A confirmation screen opened before him.

 **[** **Are you certain you would like to dissolve this party?]**

"Nice working with you," Asuna still seemed troubled, but her gaze snapped up to meet his when Kirito spoke, moving to dismiss the hovering menu, "Maybe we can party again at the next boss?"

His hand never touched the screen, however, as abruptly Asuna grasped his wrist - just stopping him short of selecting _Yes._ "Wait!"

Kirito was too surprised to do anything but comply, stilling completely. Asuna's grip slackened immediately, as if surprised at herself.

"I - sorry - I just... I meant..." she trailed off with a shake of her head. When she started again, her thought was clear - "Why wait until then?"

She said it boldly, but her face flushed and she glanced away when Kirito's dark eyes widened. The girl hastily backtracked, trying to explain herself. "You said if there's ever a chance to partner with someone, I should take it. Why not now? We... Well, we do work well together, don't we?"

Kirito thought of the way the girl glided across the battlefield, switching in with deadly grace and back; always one step behind him, their movements fluid and seamless.

Still - _When I said that, I wasn't exactly offering._ "No offense to you, but I work better on my own."

Asuna seemed to scowl at that, which made Kirito frown. It was a nice invitation, but he wasn't sure what she expected him to say. It was a temporary arrangement they had agreed to, as two solo players partying for a boss raid... or at least, it had been a few days ago. What changed?

 _Is it_ because _I'm a beta? That she thinks she'll have a better chance with someone who knows the game better than anyone else? How ironic..._

"You said it yourself," Asuna argued; she seemed to be trying to keep her tone neutral, but Kirito could hear the tightness of displeasure in her voice. "There are limits to what a solo player can do."

"Again, thanks for the offer," he said. "But there are boss raids and parties like this for a reason. I can handle it."

That didn't seem to deter the girl at all. If anything, she seemed even more upset than before. Her eyes were stormy when she said, "Do you think I'll slow you down? Is that it?"

Her voice was challenging, as if daring him to say otherwise. Kirito sighed.

"If it were anyone else, then that'd probably be why..." he admitted frankly. Asuna's glare intensified, and she looked about to say something when he finished - "But I've seen you fight. Any guild would be lucky to have you."

"Why not, then?" Asuna flicked her bangs out of her face impatiently, before her hands settled on her hips. "I'm... Look, I'm not suggesting we form a guild, or anything - I don't really care about that - just... You want to get us all out of here and so do I. It's not the safest place out there, so... Why not work together, at least for a little while?"

"Look, Asuna..." Kirito began helplessly. The girl blinked at the sound of her name. "When I said you should join up with someone, I meant someone you could trust to - to, you know..."

 _To keep you safe_ , he meant to say, but after seeing the look on her face, Kirito trailed off.

If it were possible, Asuna's gaze hardened even further.

"Is this about - trust? You don't know if you can trust me?" she demanded.

The girl's expression was overwhelmingly indignant, but there was something else there, just peeking out from behind her eyes...

Kirito blinked at her, incredulous. "I trusted you to have my back in the boss fight, didn't I?"

"Then what's the problem?"

"Don't take this the wrong way, but really - you'll be better off finding someone else."

The girl looked unimpressed, but Kirito moved to leave regardless; the second floor would be swarming with players soon - potentially hostile players - and this conversation was pointless.

He could practically feel the girl's gaze burn into his back.

"How do you know that?"

Kirito was starting to think that Asuna really didn't understand what it meant for Kirito be known as a beta-tester. Either that or the girl was telling the truth, when she said she'd rather die today than be trapped in SAO for years...

Because if the girl followed Kirito, that was a distinct possibility.

"I'm a Beater, Asuna," he reminded her wearily, twisting his head to shoot her a dry look. "Didn't you hear what they said back there?"

Asuna looked at him sharply, as if surprised. "You think I care what they say?"

"No." _I know you don't._ "But maybe you should."

"How can you say that?" Kirito started when Asuna slipped in front of him, blocking his path. "I know that wasn't your fault! You wouldn't have just _let_ Diavel die... You couldn't have saved him - no one could have."

The events of the final room flashed before his eyes; Diavel motioning for the others to give him an opening as the great beast roared and thrashed - the panic that broke free the instant Kirito realized that something wasn't right - but by the time he moved to stop him, it was already too late.

Too late for everything. For Diavel, for the two thousand other people...

The beta-testers were just as much victims of this as all the other players, but that didn't mean Kibaou was wrong. Not about Kirito.

Did Asuna realize who she was talking to? Did she realize that the person she was asking to watch her back had turned his on countless others like her, the one time in his life where Kirito would have made a difference?

 _'I know you wouldn't have just_ let _Diavel die-'_

"Maybe not," Kirito allowed. He didn't recognize his voice when he spoke; it was far from its usual self, cold and emotionless. "But they're not wrong, you know. I know a lot more than everyone else here, and I didn't share any of it. I kept everything to myself."

It was true that Kirito hadn't known that Illfang would be wielding a nodachi, but he'd chosen not to share anything at all, and... "Maybe that's just as bad."

Something in Asuna seemed to snap at his words.

Her arms were shaking when he looked up, but not for the same reason that Kirito's were - the girl's body was coiled tight with anger, trembling visibly with the strain of it.

Asuna's voice was dangerously even when she spoke.

"Did you create SAO?" she began quietly.

Kirito froze.

"Did you rip those people from their families? Force them into some game world to fulfill your - your sick fantasy?"

Asuna's eyes blazed. The girl didn't touch him, but her burning gaze was like a physical presence, pressing down on Kirito's chest.

"Did you create this _thing_ to fry people's brains and send everyone to fight to their deaths?"

 _No, but that doesn't-_

"Those people back there - they're terrified and angry, and they're blaming you because it's easier than getting their act together, and I-" Asuna cut herself off with a muted screech; her cheeks flushed with emotion. "I don't care what they say. Beta-tester or not... It doesn't matter."

She looked ready to say more - to let loose everything she'd likely been feeling since this entire fiasco began, but never before had the opportunity - but instead Asuna gathered herself, turning her head to avoid Kirito's eyes.

The rest of her words followed slowly, as if caught in her throat.

"You could have left me back there, but... you didn't." Asuna smiled then, shakily but ever so gently, and added in a quiet voice, "Still don't know how you did that, by the way."

Kirito shook his head weakly, but... It was true; he had helped her.

If Kirito hadn't been in the Labyrinth that evening, how long she would have lasted was anyone's guess. Asuna had been insane even by Kirito's standards, training day after day in a perilous dungeon without rest, without crystals, and... and without anyone to cover for her - to watch her back when things turned for the worse.

Asuna was extremely skilled, there was no doubt, but the girl was still unfamiliar with this world - a stranger to her own limits - and that fiery determination in her eyes... it was dangerous.

She would go far with it - become powerful enough to clear the game - or she would die trying.

Kirito's heart clenched at the thought.

"Look, I get it," Asuna said suddenly, startling Kirito out of his thoughts. "You won't give me a straight answer, but... You don't want to. That's okay." She turned around, looking out into the blackness as she muttered, "Just forget it. I'm sorry I brought it up."

"Don't be, it's just... It's not a good idea," Kirito told her, though his words felt oddly hollow in his ears. He wasn't sure whether to be relieved or upset - all he knew was that his chest felt tight and uncomfortable as he raised a hand to cancel the hovering window.

The notice - **[** **This party has been dissolved]** _-_ flashed between them with a chime _._

"Sorry," was all Kirito could offer as he carefully edged around the girl to resume his ascent. "Um... S-see you at the next boss raid?"

Asuna murmured a response, but Kirito wasn't close enough to hear what it was and didn't feel confident enough to ask. Instead, Kirito did what he did best in these situations - he fled, up the steps and around the curve of the stairway.

Why was it that all of Kirito's interactions with girls seemed to end like this? He couldn't understand them... _First with Sugu, now..._

 _Click-click, click..._

It took Kirito only a moment to realize it this time. He stopped in his tracks. "...What are you doing?"

Asuna's form stilled somewhere behind him - likely just around the corner. He could hear the exasperation in her voice.

"Walking to the second floor so I can start leveling up." She caught Kirito's gaze as she walked onto the opposite flight; Asuna rolled her eyes at his astonished look. "What? First you dodge every question I ask, now I can't even walk on the same steps as you?"

She sounded peeved, but more tired than anything else. _She's looking to what now? Just after a boss fight?_

"Shouldn't you... you know, restock first? We just came back from a boss raid..."

"I'm fine," Asuna replied, a tad snappishly. She flicked stray hairs from her face. "Besides, I don't need to heal if I don't take damage, remember?"

Kirito stood dumbly for a few seconds. Asuna passed him without a word, and Kirito started to match her brisk pace. He tried again.

"Well... W-what about resting? Inns are more expensive on higher floors-"

"I told you - I'm fine," she ground out, shooting him a sharp look. She seemed offended by the suggestion, though Kirito could clearly see signs of weakness in her gait - a hitch every few seconds, slight shakiness, with shortness of breath; the system's signs of impaired performance.

They walked in tense silence. Why did Asuna have to be so... so difficult?

 _Why do I feel the need to care?_

Things were so much simpler when Kirito just felt achingly empty, before she came all angry on his behalf and smiling and reckless... At least with Klein, Kirito wasn't worried about him being careless with his life, or about angry mobs, or about risky dungeons...

At least with Klein, Kirito felt like he had a choice.

* * *

 **A/N: Thank you to everyone for reading this far! This is basically my take on an 'if Kirito took Asuna with him after the first floor boss.' I know it's been done lots before, but what I've planned for this will hopefully take it in an interesting new direction.**

 **If you think it's worth continuing... please tell me what you think!**

 **[On a side note... This story is based primarily off of the events of the anime and SAO Progressive 1. It picks up just after most of what happened in SAOP1 (specifically, after Kirito storms out of the first floor boss room), but everything else after this will be nearly exclusively drawn from the anime.] Thank you!**


	2. Chapter 2

**Limitless**

 **Chapter 2:**

* * *

"speech"

 _thoughts/sounds_

 _"past speech"/'recalled speech'_

 **[messages/requests]**

* * *

Diavel's death was a hurricane of sparkling fragments, beautiful and captivating in a way that stopped Asuna's heart in her chest. It was so quick; so simple - the SFX ring of metal on plating, a discordant trill and then... a shining flurry of dust, and he was gone.

 _"Diavel!"_

Asuna had never seen death before, but she knew it had to be more than that - that was a mockery of death, a morbid cartoon of it that stunned them solely by its implications.

Her blood ran cold. The exhilaration of battle had invigorated her - the smoothness of their fight giving her confidence - but it all vanished in an instant. Because that was all it took, now, didn't it? An instant - a shattering of shining sparks - and a life was gone... just like that.

No time to react. No time for goodbyes. No time for grief.

 _"What's going on?"_

 _"Oh, God..."_

Asuna's arms had kept moving, her feet dancing across the floor but in her mind everything was frozen and crystal clear - _I am going to die here,_ she thought.

 _"Diavel... No..."_

Kneeling over Diavel's place of death was Asuna's partner - the enigmatic solo-player she'd been fighting beside for what felt like hours.

She knew nothing about him; it was true. But even later - when the others hurled accusations his way, furious and damning - Asuna knew, in that moment, she couldn't have mistaken the expression on the young man's face - couldn't have missed how her panic and anguish were reflected in his glassy eyes.

 _"T-They're swarming!"_

 _Whish._

Steel flashed in front of her, missing Asuna's shoulder by inches, and suddenly she was turning away and parrying a fatal blow of her own. It was only seconds before the Kobold sentinel was finished with her, distracted by a player in the distance, but by the time Asuna could turn around, the grief in him was gone.

The swordsman had risen, eyes cast down but with «Anneal Blade» held ready at his side. Cool determination had settled across his features, until all that was left was a firm set to his lips. It wasn't a look of defeat - a look of someone fighting to delay the inevitable.

 _"Everyone, take ten steps back towards the exit! As long as the boss isn't surrounded, it won't use its ranged attacks!"_

From then on, everything felt like a blur.

There were words exchanged briefly, in the calm, but Asuna only recalled how her cloak was grasping for her wrists and ankles as she ran, before it wasn't anymore.

Illfang had loomed over the swordsman - all hulking muscle and fangs - its nodachi raised to strike but he met it smoothly, blocking its blow in a hiss of steel against steel.

She remembered feeling frozen in time, as she watched him effortlessly press the offensive, attacking and then deftly stepping out of its path until the enormous beast came stumbling forwards. A purple glow enveloped his glimmering black blade - drawing her gaze - but then his eyes were on hers, and suddenly Asuna's world was in motion again.

 _"All right! Asuna - switch!"_

Her rapier felt cold and grounding in her palm, the motions of «Linear» flowing seamlessly with the swordsman's as he rushed the vulnerable boss and _switched_.

It was then that Asuna realized that she was mistaken, in thinking that she saw herself reflected in his dark eyes. The swordsman was determined and fierce in every movement - in every breath - but not like Asuna was.

 _"Oh, no! It's coming back!"_

No, she realized, watching his strikes grow harsher and faster as he enraged the beast, drawing it away from the rest of the players - the swordsman did not fight like he had nothing left to lose.

He fought like everything in the world was riding on his shoulders, and bent the rest to his will in blinding flashes of violet light.

It stirred something to life in Asuna's chest.

She had entered that chamber knowing that her efforts were futile; fought until her fingers were numb and she collapsed from exhaustion knowing that in the end, it would amount to nothing. But when the swordsman - when _Kirito_ \- stalked out of the floor, victory draped black and shimmering across his back, Asuna ran after him thinking that maybe, just maybe... It could all be worth it.

He had given her hope.

 _"Wait!"_

To be honest, Asuna wasn't quite sure why she stopped him - why she insisted - only... No matter what she did, her mind couldn't help but return to Diavel, the fragments of his life scattering in all directions...

 _"If you go on by yourself, anything can happen..."_

Anything - and one breath; one step; one moment. That's all it took.

 _"Thanks for the concern... but I know what I'm doing. See you at the next boss raid?"_

Death came so quickly and so insignificantly, but Kirito didn't seem concerned, and Asuna wasn't sure why she was, and then -

 _"Why wait until then?"_

 _And really, why not?_

 _"You said it yourself. There are limits to what a solo-player can do."_

It seemed so reasonable when she said it, and yet, Asuna began to think as she climbed the stairs, leaving the impossible solo-player behind her...

Maybe she didn't exactly think it through.

"I told you - I'm fine," she ground out, shooting Kirito a sharp look. The swordsman behind her seemed to shrink back, but that only made Asuna feel worse. Heat still lingered on her cheeks.

 _Ugh, let it go, Asuna... you're making a fool of yourself..._ Her fists clenched. _He doesn't want your help._

She stalked up the iridescent steps - slabs of filmy, purplish light that somehow managed to not to collapse beneath her - face flushed. _He can go and get himself killed if he wants... Idiot -_

"Wait!"

The word echoed throughout the luminous hall and Asuna started, foot stumbling on the edge of the step. "Wait, what?"

"Look, you can't..." Kirito's words were tense, almost pleading - but when Asuna looked over her shoulder, amber eyes boring into his, the boy's words trailed off into silence.

 _What is his problem?_

"If this is about going back again, I'm not going to hear it."

There was no response - only a pained, conflicted look. His eyes shimmered in the dim lighting.

Asuna waited all of two seconds before she huffed. She just turned away, cloak uncomfortably warm against her skin, and hastened her pace, grumbling to herself, "Whatever. Not like I really wanted to party with you, anyway..."

Asuna worked just fine by herself. In fact, things were better that way. Weren't they?

The nights Asuna spent in that Labyrinth flashed before her eyes, huddled against cold stone pillars. Her body wasn't real - nothing in the maze was real - but her fingers still felt numb; her skin cold; her heart hollow, as the darkness seemed to swallow her whole.

She swallowed, shaking her head, when -

"Eh-?"

\- a menu suddenly popped open before her, stopping Asuna in her tracks.

The girl blinked. Once. Twice.

 **[Kirito has invited you to join their party.]**

 _Click, click._

"I'll give you until the end of the second floor," the solo-player decided, voice ringing loudly throughout the dark floor - ringing in Asuna's ears.

 _What?_

"W-What?"

"The lower levels of an MMORPG are always trickier, when you're competing for items and XP - you take more chances. But after the second floor, we should have a good gap in level from the others. It'll be safer."

Asuna blinked again.

"Let's just party until then, all right?"

When Asuna still didn't respond, taken aback, Kirito tilted his head, considering her. He seemed much more sure of himself as he came up just behind Asuna, adding, "If you think you can keep up, of course."

"'Keep up'-?" she managed, blistering. "Of course I can -"

"Then let's go." Kirito peered over the edge of the stairs, down into the blackness below. "The second floor will be crawling with players soon."

With that, the swordsman side-stepped a flustered Asuna - ignoring the way her eyes bore into him, disbelieving - overtaking her on the stairs.

"'Let's go'? Just like that?"

When Asuna didn't follow him for a few moments, Kirito sent her a glance. "Do you not want to?"

"Yes! I mean... I mean no..." Asuna's shoulders ached as she brushed hair from her face, shaking her head. The invitation lingered above her, making her head hurt. "I thought you didn't want to."

 _'No offense to you, but I work better on my own.'_

"I didn't." A moment of silence, a deep breath, then - "I changed my mind."

They were simple words, but when Kirito said them, there was weight behind them; a weariness.

"What does that even _mean..._?"

The swordsman's chest expanded in a sigh. "Look, I-"

 _BANG!_

A loud slam from below cut them off, abruptly, and both of them startled. Asuna cloak got caught around her knee as she recoiled, nearly having her «tumble» -

\- when a hand grasped her firmly by the wrist, steadying her. Asuna's blood felt like it was rushing through her veins as gripped onto it, pulling herself from the dark, open edge onto steady ground.

"T-Thanks," Asuna murmured shakily, heels a bit unsteady. She was never arguing on stairs again.

Kirito nodded, briefly, expression unreadable.

Suddenly, voices flooded into the hall.

Immediately, they jerked apart, Asuna scrambled to look down. Kirito was just behind her.

They were quite a ways up now, peering down through what seemed like miles of darkness, but even from there, one could see light flowing through from the ground floor - the boss room gate slammed open. No figures seemed to be coming through, but the sound traveled much more clearly, now. It wouldn't be long.

Kirito muttered to himself - what almost seemed like cursing, though it was too faint for Asuna to hear - but she definitely caught when he finished - "I knew this wasn't a good idea -"

Asuna's gaze sharpened, "Whoa - you're not backing out now, are you?"

Kirito seemed far away when he shook his head and then turned, looking up to the ceiling. It was impossible to tell how far they had to go, from here, but after all they'd climbed, it couldn't have been far. Could it?

The clamor from below rose in volume - the shouts and yells audible to her ears. They were faint and echoed, but it would take a fool not to recognize the vehemence in them - the anger.

Asuna remembered it clearly in their eyes; recalled how quick their desperation drove them to fix it upon on the tense, distant boy beside her - the player who showed her more kindness than anyone else in this messed-up world.

 _'Why'd you do it, huh? Why'd you let Diavel die?! You knew the technique the boss was gonna use. You could've told us! Then Diavel would've stood a chance... He wouldn't have to die!'_

 _'Yeah! He knew the boss's attack patterns! He knew, but he kept it from us!'_

 _'You're a goddamn cheater, that's what you are!'_

She didn't know him at all; it was true. She couldn't understand him.

But Asuna saw him then, standing just ahead, saying nothing but waiting for her in spite of the tension in his form - the way Kirito seemed to want to be anywhere else.

 _'Trust me - you'll be better of finding someone else.'_

"You're an idiot," she decided.

Kirito started, distracted. "What?"

She felt the lingering heat on his wrist, where their skin touched. It tingled. Asuna rubbed it briefly, taking a deep breath. "You're an idiot... but I'm coming with you."

* * *

 **A/N: Special thanks to SomethingFunny794, TheSoloPlayer, (my special Guest reader), Darth Eevee, Delta Marauder, TheUniqueFangirl and everyone who fav/followed! To be honest, I wasn't sure if anyone would be interested in another story like this, but thanks to you guys I have my answer. c:**

 **Sorry for the short chapter - this is all really set-up - but I wanted something from Asuna's half of this before everything gets moving. c: If all goes well (and if people want to see more), the next chapter should be up soon.**

 **Er, and I'm sorry if the past-dialogue is confusing... I'm not really sure if it works well... But it's not something I'll use very often, so hopefully it was okay this once?**

 **Please review and tell me what you think! Even something short is always motivating.**


	3. Chapter 3

**Limitless**

 **Chapter 3:**

* * *

 **A/N: I think I mentioned this before, but this story is based solely off the events of the anime and Progressive 1 - mainly because I haven't had access to any of the others in the Progressive series, hehe. I'm sorry if this makes it confusing or seem redundant in any way.** **Hopefully it will seem less and less like a re-telling of the novels as the story goes on; I intend to veer very much off canon. Thank you!**

 **On a side note... Relevant P1 stuff: Lind is the guy who first suggests that Kirito knew Illfang's attack patterns/accuses Argo (through her strategy guide) of withholding information. Oh - and before the first boss battle, Kirito lets Asuna over to his room to use his bath, and Argo ends up walking in on her. cx**

* * *

Argo waded through the crowd of players, furious whispers and voices echoing throughout the large hall of the boss room. Her feet were silent against the floor as she scanned the stone walls, watching the way the torch flames burned a flickering, ominous blue.

The Rat recalled this day in the beta-test, when she first met Kii-bou - panting heavily, sword held against the ground as cheers of victory filled the chamber. The flames were the same, then - still burned blue, illuminating dark stone - but not everything had been, it seemed.

"What are we going to do? Now that Diavel is..."

Diavel.

Had Argo been in human skin, she might have shivered; but as it were, her breathing only hitched slightly - such was the pattern of the system. The Rat preferred it.

"Is - is it true? Did that player really-?"

Argo had anticipated many things to follow the first boss fight, but this... Well, it wasn't one of them.

"How dare that bastard, after all Diavel did for us!"

The anxiety was so thick she could taste it; the fear metallic on her tongue.

"Oh, Kii-bou..." Argo murmured under her breath, the vitriolous words echoing around her, only magnifying the confusion. It would turn to wild speculation, before long. "Only you would get yourself in a mess like this, wouldn't you?"

Both doors - the one to the first floor and the gate to the next - had swung open moments after Illfang had fallen, and Argo had been the first on the scene, to catch Kirito's bluff just before he stalked away... and just before the room erupted into chaos.

"What are we standing here for? That bastard is going to steal all the rare items before any of us!"

Kii-bou's speech had been laughable - to Argo, anyway. It was too easy to see the way his voice shook, even so slightly, at the end - Kii-bou was good, but not _that_ good. But to these players; lost, terrified, desperate for something to blame...

"Are you crazy? That guy's freakin' inhuman - I'm not running into him up there!"

...it made all the difference.

"Yeah, I wouldn't run after him if you paid me-"

A few other players filed in behind Argo, whose cloak was wisely drawn over her brow as she slunk through the hall; the raid members didn't seem to notice - too caught up in their own ramblings.

"But, wait - that girl went after he did, didn't she?"

Argo stilled, tilting her head. She hadn't realized anyone followed him.

"Oh, yeah - that chick with the cloak! I couldn't believe how fast she was-"

"Yeah, but - shit, is she all right? She never came back-"

Argo's eyebrows rose. _So Kii-bou's pretty companion went after him, hmm?_

She was musing over the possibilities when a large shoulder suddenly brushed past her - the player's STR must have been advanced, because the Rat was actually jolted to the side, feeling her arm ache and her cloak slip down her neck.

 _How rude._ Argo narrowed her eyes, gripping her sleeves - the man was tall, with shoulder-length blue hair, and never looked back.

There was a gasp beside her.

"Hey, isn't that-?"

A young man to her left was staring at her with wide eyes, and Argo realized with a start that he was fixated on her face - her whiskers -

"It is! It's the Rat!"

The whispers quieted around her, and Argo just let out a sharp breath. Her hands - half-way to her neck, to throw her hood back over herself - fell to her sides as she felt numerous eyes lock on her. She shifted closer to the wall.

 _Dammit. This is not a good time._ If only her «hiding skill» weren't still so damn low...

"You - it's you who gave everyone that guide, isn't it?"

It was the rude blue-haired man. Argo looked the brute dead in the eyes, recognition dawning on her: it was the raid party's lieutenant and Diavel's second, the scimitar-wielder Lind.

"I distributed it, yes." Argo's tone was even, in spite of the dozen gazes narrowed to her. She took a shallow breath. "And before you ask - that information was as accurate as it could have been."

Which meant it was incorrect, regardless - something that twisted at Argo's chest - but that was beside her point.

Lind visibly straightened, sharpening. "But it _wasn't-_!"

"And for that, I apologize," she replied coolly.

More furious whispers.

"That's all you have to say?" Lind asked accusingly after a moment; a few people echoed him.

 _Perhaps the last bit was wrong, it's true. But how many of you would have made it this far without my guide, hmm?_

Humans were such forgetful creatures.

As the scimitar-user spoke, a spiky-haired man caught her eye - roughly shouldering his way through the players - and Argo's dark orbs narrowed. Kibaou came up beside Lind, boots stomping to the center - forcing Argo further against the wall. She tensed.

Though never antagonistic toward her before, there was caution flinty in Kibaou's eyes now. ... _Sore about Anneal Blade, are you?_

The crowd seemed to gather around them, keeping their distance.

"The strategy guide described the stats from the beta-test," Argo announced, rather boldly. She had nothing to hide. "As far as I'm aware, none of that itself was incorrect."

Lind's eyes seemed to blaze. _Really, where else did you think that info was from? I can't read the future._

"Whoa, guys - Lind-man - it's not the lady's fault," a rugged young player cut in, waving his arms placatingly and... defending her? "Nobody knew what would happen."

Her defender's hair was a strewn rust-red, contrasting sharply with the hulking, dark-skinned man that came from behind him. The two stepped just before Argo, between the lithe girl and the rest of the players in the hall - as if leveling the field. Argo blinked, surprised.

The dark-skinned man's brows were furrowed as he spoke, deeply and evenly. "Klein is right. What happened to Diavel was a tragedy, but we must think about this clearly."

"Yeah. And come on, what would this lady gain from cheating us?" Klein reasoned, laughing weakly. Argo looked to him. "She sells this stuff, right? Information? And she wasn't even here!"

Lind's face twisted as he suggested, "Maybe the bitch's in on it, too. She and the Beater."

"For what?" Klein replied, looking like he might roll his eyes. His look of disdain was almost impressive. "Lemme guess - the «last attack» bonus?"

"She's defending him because she's a filthy tester like him! Trying to make us think-!"

"-that, what? That her word is shit? You're not making sense, man-"

"Shut it, you bastard-" Lind growled, but even Kibaou seemed to realize the player's senselessness.

"That's enough, Lind!" Kibaou barked. His piercing gaze turned from them to the crowd, raising his weapon above his head. "The Rat is one of us - Diavel vouched for her himself! And you heard what she said - that info was from a tester - from a _Beater_!"

There was a chorus of agreement, but instead of relief, all Argo felt was a sharp twist in her chest, the feeling of the situation spinning out of her control.

"I deal in information - its integrity is _my_ responsibility," Argo interjected, raising her voice in a last-ditch effort, knowing that IRL, her palms would be clammy; her heart rate unsteady. "No matter what my sources are, this is my mistake-"

Her words felt like they were drowned out in the rising clamor, but then a raid-member yelled-

"How could it be, when that Beater is hoarding all the knowledge to his filthy self?"

Her words fell nonetheless on deaf ears, as the volume in the room increased.

"Yeah, and the bastard even had the gall to admit to it!"

"I heard him, too!"

It quickly devolved from there. The mass of players - now some from the outside, as well - spewed curses about 'the Beater' - and Argo found herself in the midst of it, feeling eerily cold.

The word would spread quickly, like wildfire, and Argo knew better than anyone else how impossible it would be to stop it.

* * *

Kirito lingered by the southern edge of Urbus, leaning against the city's rusted steel gates. The taste of a low-level potion felt sticky and bland in his mouth, like old saliva, but the nearest tavern was half-way across town, and Kirito's avatar ached.

It had been a long day.

The orange sun steadily inched its way down the sky, casting long shadows across the dusty town streets. With a sigh, Kirito pulled «the Coat of Midnight» further around himself, eyes scanning the main road for any sign of a crimson-red cloak.

Where was she?

"I told her to meet me in half-an-hour..." he muttered, checking the time on his screen. 6:24 PM. It didn't take that much time to get supplies, did it? "Wait... She didn't get lost, did she?"

If she had... Well, this was going to be a _long_ couple of weeks. Urbus wasn't even that large of a city.

Kirito slumped against the gate, hearing it creak under his weight. He would give her time - the two of them had traveled the several miles to Urbus more quickly than he anticipated, so a few minutes wasn't much. And all things considered, if Asuna _wanted_ to take a break... Well, he certainly wasn't going to discourage her.

The girl had seemed rather drawn when they'd split up to re-stock. Throughout the journey there, as well. It was... disconcerting. Part of Kirito had expected Asuna to be more talkative, consider her outspokenness on the stairs, but ever since then, the girl had fallen strangely silent.

They avoided all monsters on the road, but... perhaps even the sight of them was what sobered her. Perhaps it was exhaustion.

 _She didn't... faint again, did she?_ The thought crossed his mind, and abruptly Kirito straightened. No - she had seemed mildly fatigued earlier, but...

Kirito was scrolling open his menu to message the girl when his inbox suddenly chimed. Maybe it was Asuna. _F_ _inally-_

 **[Looks like I gave you a hard time, Kii-bou. If you want, I'll give you one info for free, k?]**

"Argo?" he murmured aloud, a bit surprised. _Giving information out... for free?_

Argo was as detached as they got, when it came to these matters. For her to feel like this... The anti-Beaters must have been forming mobs back there.

 **[It was that bad, huh?]**

There was a pause, then another _ding_ of a message. **[Yeah. I would have gotten to you sooner, but... I got caught up in a little drama.]**

Drama? Kirito frowned. His fingers hovered over the keys for a moment. **[You okay?]**

Kirito had tried to make himself the sole target of their anger, and the swordsman thought he'd succeeded... Though looking back, Kirito could hardly remember what he said at all - could only remember the panic and the cold, gripping sense of purpose, left in Diavel's wake.

 **[You're worried? How cute.]** _Ugh._ Kirito rubbed the back of his head. As cold as she was, sometimes Argo could be... **[But please. As if those brutes could even touch me. You should worry about yourself - they're out for blood.]**

 **[So I heard.]**

Almost before he realized it, Kirito eyes were darting around him, as if a murderous raid-member could be stalking him right then - though the sandy street end was empty. For now, that is.

Where _was_ Asuna?

 _Ding._

 **[By the way, rumor has it you have a stalker. Brown hair. Red cloak. 'Fast like lightning.']** Kirito rolled his eyes, about to give a droll reply when - **[And 'super cute', among** _ **other**_ **things... But I'm sure you don't need any adolescent male descriptions.]**

The swordsman coughed a bit, flushing. He could just see Argo's face. Backing up, he re-typed - **[That better not count as my freebie.]**

 **[Nope... Since I'm asking for «verification», of course. You know I don't trust rumors.]**

Kirito sighed, deeply. **[You have to get into everyone's business, don't you?]**

 **[I'm very nosy like that. Sooo...** _ **did**_ **she follow you?]**

To «verify» the truth of something meant that Argo intended to sell it, and the thought of saying anything that the the raid party might hear made his skin crawl. And yet, Kirito realized, the way Argo was asking spoke volumes - _"Did she follow you?"_

In Argo-speak... _What do you want me to say to them?_

 **[I don't know where she is.]** He decided - though at the moment, it was technically true... **[We were a party during the boss raid. That's it.]**

 **[Got it.]** Argo accepted easily - though what she truly surmised about the matter, Kirito wasn't certain. **[Can you «verify» you saw her alive on the second floor, at least? She never came back, so your fan-club down here are wondering if you pushed their idol down the stairs. Maybe ate her.]**

Kirito rolled his eyes. "Give it a rest, Argo."

When Kirito chose not to deign that with a response, his menu _beeped._

 _ **[**_ **50 Col** _**has been sent to you from Argo. Will you accept?]**_

Kirito wanted to laugh - everyone would know he hadn't murdered Asuna soon enough, anyway - but he recognized the _payment_ for what it was, and Kirito felt his chest sink. _Argo... There's no need to apologize._

Not for the mess of the last few hours, not for her _Strategy Guide_ , that had been taken so horribly wrong... There was no need for apologies.

But Argo wouldn't accept that. And, well, in her place... neither would he.

 **[You buy gossip now?]**

It was only fifty Col. He could probably buy a meal for two with that. _Even when she's apologizing for ruining someone's life, she's cheap._

 **[You don't gossip, Kii-bou... and you know me. Whatever people are willing to pay for.]**

Kirito let out a deep sigh, then clicked _**[Yes].**_

"What are you sighing about?"

Kirito jumped a bit, looking over his menu to see an intent-looking Asuna in front of him. Her cloak was still drawn over her shoulders, though she had let her hair fall freely, tangling around her neck.

The girl cocked her head, as if trying to see what he was looking at - though of course she couldn't see his screen. "Are you... messaging someone?"

 **[A pleasure doing business with you.]**

"Just an... old friend. Kind of." Kirito said, unsure of how he would label Argo. A... colleague - slash - information broker? That liked to tease him and called him derogatory nicknames...?

Asuna stared at him oddly as he closed the window, though the swordsman couldn't place her expression.

Kirito looked up, scanning Asuna's health bar - trickling full, indicating she had taken a potion as well. Good. "Are you ready?"

Thankfully, Asuna nodded. Her eyes were serious. "Yeah."

He was about to say more when he was cut off by another _ding._ **[One more thing. If you're willing, give my regards to Miss Rapier, would you? Along with my apologies.** ]

At the words, Kirito was brought back to that night in the farm house, when he'd let Asuna borrow his bath... and the insinuation in Argo's words became very clear. Kirito flushed.

 **[I would hate for her to think me rude. =**=]**

 _You're the one who walked in on her - ah, dammit, Argo._

"Are you okay?" the girl in front of him asked, perplexed at the tint to his cheeks. She was staring at him again, eyes narrowed.

"I-I'm fine," he said, shaking his head. Even with the teleport gate opened, this dusty corner of Urbus was still quite deserted - no one had passed through the southern gate - but it _was_ only a matter of time. "We should get going."

"Ok-ay," Asuna agreed, though he saw her still observing him from the corner of her eye. She seemed tired, but in all fairness, she did look a bit better than she had an hour ago. More alert. That was good.

With a nod, Kirito approached the center of the gate, considering the southern area of the second floor through its rusted metal bars.

A golden-lit savanna was wide and sprawling before them; framed at the edge by looming, flat-topped mountains. Beautiful and dangerous.

"I saw a few players in the shops," Asuna shared suddenly, making Kirito start. Her eyes were dark, even as they stared at the surreal area beside him, and the swordsman blinked. "They... thanked me for opening the teleport gate, in the square."

She sounded... almost confused.

"Ah," Kirito said, remembering how his fingers touched the shimmering blue surface - how it activated with that distinctive, brilliant glow. "Once the boss room's door to a new floor opens, there's a few hours' delay until players can teleport from the previous one - unless someone opens the gate early."

As Kirito had done. But of course, as a Beater...

Asuna seemed to understand, pulling her rapier from its hilt with a bit excess force, but she only asked, "Why is there a delay?"

Well... "So players like us can get a head start on rare quests and hunting areas."

Asuna only stared at the floor beyond, so Kirito moved on. "If we leave now, we should be able to get to the cavern area by nightfall. The quest I told you about is on the east side. "

They would have to fight a few monsters on the way, but not many, if Kirito led them right. That way they could activate the quest - securing it for themselves - and then rest for the night. It was a decent way to start a new floor.

"I see," Asuna said after a moment, her shoulders falling. "It really is competitive, isn't it?"

 _The quests? No -_

"To some extent. MMORPG's are designed like that," Kirito confirmed. Her voice was quiet, almost solemn - and Kirito realized that while he had done this a thousand times... Defeated bosses, stocked up on items, gone off on rare quests... it was all so much heavier now. Like something stifling his chest. "But SAO is different. More intense. It's-"

"-not just a game." Asuna finished; her eyes were steely - masking a whirlwind of emotion, Kirito now recognized.

"No... it's really not."

* * *

 **A/N:**

 **KimranReech: Thank you so much! c: I'm glad you enjoyed it... and I really hope I can meet your expectations.**

 **Nobody: I believe I addressed your review in the beginning, but thank you for pointing it out to me - I see it is pretty similar. Just think of this story as anime-verse w/ a P1 beginning. Things will inevitably be different as they go on.**

 **Anonymuse: I accept your challenge. c:**

 **firelord sadisti: Yeah, I thought so. I'll try to fix that... Still, I'm glad you think it's well-written enough to keep reading! c: Thank you.**

 **The Solo Player: Thank you! c: I always really appreciate your encouragement.**


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